EXCLUSIVE: Gavin Blyth (Series Producer, 'Emmerdale') DS Interview March 2010

[Perdita]

Part I


Over the last 14 months, Emmerdale series producer Gavin Blyth has driven the once-ailing soap back from the brink. Its legion of quality signings mixed with solid scripts and a strong return to story-led plots recently saw Emmerdale achieve its highest ratings in three years - and it continues to prosper. But what does the next phase involve? Where does it all go from here? Digital Spy chats exclusively to Gavin about Emmerdale's ongoing success, the village's imminent arrivals, and Aaron Livesy's journey as he attempts to come to terms with his sexuality, as well as revealing Sally Spode's final act of revenge on Ashley Thomas.

Emmerdale's improved massively over the last year…
"I think the past year has shown our intention going forward. I think the balance is there and it's right for what our audience want. It delivers for all sections of the audience and we haven't alienated any viewers at the expense of others. Any audience of any generation enjoys strong stories with good characterisation. We don't have to specifically be writing for an older or younger audience. An intelligent audience can always enjoy watching any generation of character. Yes we've told some stories with some younger characters but it's usually balanced with the POV of their parents or other elders - that’s always the way to get the best out of any story. If you look at where we are now compared to 18 months ago, the figures hopefully speak for themselves. January’s average viewing figures were around 10% up on year-on-year and averaged about 4% up on share, we've had some of our highest figures for more than three years. But we can't rest and have to try to keep pushing the bar - though I need to be careful that it’s not too high or I won't be able to even reach it!"

What do you put its success down to?
"I think it's a combination of several things. Firstly, the scripts are probably as good as we've ever seen - the humour has been refined to be about character as opposed to situation comedy, so it's funny for the right reasons - it's character observation. I think we're getting our characterisation right, too. All our characters know who they are, what they want and where they want to be in life - even though they may not always get there! That balance of characterisation versus story has hopefully pushed the boundaries a little for Emmerdale and in my opinion it's the mix we need. We've embraced some bigger stories over the past year and perhaps been a little bit bolder then the show's used to. Don't get me wrong, it's all work in progress and we won't get everything right all of the time, but we really feel that Emmerdale is back on the map. Everyone's started to realise that we're a contemporary show with very modern characters. It's about breaking down those barriers. Yes, it may be set in the country but our characters and stories wouldn't be out of place in any of the other soaps."

What's the next step for you as far as maintaining the success and pushing it further?
"We have a fantastic set of characters and actors and I think the key is about keeping that mix fresh. Characters who didn't drive 2009 will take their place and cement themselves at the centre of the show in 2010 alongside other favourites. Take Leyla and David for example, what a great soap couple and both great actors. I'm really looking forward to seeing them grow even more across this year. It's always good for us to remind ourselves that everyone likes different characters for different reasons; what one person may love, another won't. As such, we need to make sure that we mix up those characters driving the show across a year. Previously I've not been afraid to bring in some new characters and families and I'm doing the same this year. We have the likes of Suzanne Shaw coming in as Edna's official great niece but unofficial granddaughter. Then you have the likes of Jason Merrells, who's a great actor and to get that calibre of actor in alongside those we already have is a treat. Everyone knows my desire and passion for the show is second to none and that's shared by everyone on the team. As long as we keep pushing forward and creating something fresh, engaging and surprising, then hopefully we'll continue to grow across 2010."

How did Suzanne Shaw's casting come about?
"I saw about 50-60 actresses in total and went through the normal process. Suzanne came over from Manchester, she was doing White Christmas at the time, so she bobbed over on one of her matinee days in the morning and saw me like everyone else did and it grew from that. She's actually done more acting than people realise and she's very excited to be joining. Her character Eve will really shake things up, not only for Edna but for a few other people in the village. She has an eye for men so we'll see her shake up a couple of relationships. She's not a man-eater but she'll have come out of a marriage that wasn't quite working - she's been left in the lurch in France - and has retreated to Emmerdale. She'll be there to rock the boat a little and she's the type of character we don't have at the minute. Part of keeping a show fresh is always about maintaining a good character balance and making sure that you've got all the characters that you want in the show and I think Eve's one that we're perhaps missing."

Are we right to assume that you've brought her in with a specific story in mind?
"There are several stories planned that she'll work into or that she'll start - not least with the Bartons and then another relationship within the village. I wouldn't want to bring a character in without a sense of where they were going, so across summer and into autumn things will have changed a little bit because of Eve..."

ht decisions at the right time - but then who would?"





DS

[Perdita]

Part II

How about Jason Merrels?
I am truly delighted to get him on board - he's such a high-calibre actor and to have the likes of him join our already-established cast is just fantastic. He's done so much, he's very popular, well liked and respected. The idea of bringing him in alongside Natasha and co at Home Farm is great. He's actually introduced through Jai, Nikhil, Charity and Cain, so he's immediately mixing with a broad base of characters. He won't be isolated at Home Farm. Obviously Natasha will find herself in a financial struggle and in need of an investor. Along comes Declan who's also a friend of the Sharmas. Declan's charismatic, yet a bit of an enigma. He's not without an edge, but not in a dark, Machiavellian way - he just knows what he wants. It's important that audience likes him."

How does he integrate into the Wyldes' scenario?
"Nathan's not overly impressed and takes against him - no surprise there! - but he's something of a saviour for Natasha. Mark's money's been frozen so her cash is running thin, so he steps in and strikes a very hard bargain. We see what he's made of from the outset. Then he and Natasha grow increasingly close but obviously she's got the biggest skeleton in the closet - or the woods in her case! - and that won't make it easy for her to ever get close to anybody again. It's an intriguing relationship that stops and starts with various diversions en route. It'll never be easy for them but that will all ultimately play into the discovery of Mark's body. I'm not about to leave that lying in the wood for the next year and have everyone waiting because I think people will grow tired of waiting. There will be enough twists and turns en route, though, and the reveal of the body starts another great story - and by that point, there are so many different players involved, it should get quite messy!"

Where does Aaron's story going from here?
"The Aaron story had to go on the back burner for a little – simply to accommodate cast holiday and the likes. But now he’s back, it picks up a pace. It's a fantastic, sometimes dark, sometimes heartbreaking story as Aaron faces up to who and what he is, which is everything he doesn't want to be. He's terrified of having to face the fact that he's gay. He's terrified of people finding out because, for all that Aaron is - which is effectively a rebellious teenager and one who can be out of control at times - he's still desperate to be loved. His biggest fear, though, is being judged for his sexuality. If only he realised that he could talk to his friends, family and people who love him, it would probably all be so easy. Life isn't that easy, though, and his worries escalate and begin to eat him up inside – but the more he buries them, the harder they become to deal with.

"It's fascinating and I know there's some suggestion that Adam may be his gay lover but the answer to that is 'no'. Adam will never be far from the story, though, as that's how Aaron's journey started - and he's pivotal at every turn from hereon in. But it would have been simply too convenient for me to have two teenagers wrestling with the same problem at the same time in the same small village. He'll always be a friend and a good one at that, but lads of that age don’t find it always too easy to openly communicate their feelings and their life issues to each other. If he had and if perhaps Adam had understood Aaron better, maybe things would have been easier. But as it stands, it will be difficult for all concerned and it'll be a real tearjerker as Aaron become quite dark, lonely and desperate."

Paddy becomes heavily involved doesn't he?
"As Aaron's secrets spiral out of control, he panics. There is such a simple truth to the character and quite superbly played by Danny Miller. Aaron doesn't want to be confronted by the notion of anyone knowing his sexuality but it's inevitable because there are people who know him, who care for him and can see that there's something wrong. The minute that anybody questions him or confronts him with their fears or suspicions, it's the start of a downward spiral. The first person to discover his secret was Adam and the second will be Paddy. We'll never change the character - Aaron will always be the delinquent that he is now - but he'll be much more rounded. I've read scripts and I'm thinking 'Wow - these could just make me cry!' and the notion of crying over Aaron is an odd one but he's such a good actor, especially with Dominic and Lucy alongside him.

"The episode that sees Aaron crack and finally admit that he is gay to Paddy is quite, quite exceptional. The performances by both Danny and Dominic are simply breathtaking. It is, very simply, an episode that nobody should miss. I would challenge anyone not to be moved by what they see."

Apparently there's a new character coming in called Jackson?
"It can't be just a simple story of isolation for Aaron, that just wouldn't be satisfactory for everybody if everything was so insular. Aaron needs to share his journey. He'll share it with Adam and he'll share it with Paddy but there needs to be an intimacy that both challenges Aaron and tests him at every turn. There's a relationship on the horizon which builds and is never easy. I know some people would like to hurry the story along but if we're to be truthful about it, someone like Aaron isn't just going to have two weeks of angst and then come out to the world. It's going to be difficult but the new character Jackson will help Aaron along his way. He'll also hinder him at the same time. It'll be a case of two steps forward, three steps back for Aaron as he steps into a world which he thinks he can be comfortable with, only to then realise that may never be the case.

"Like Aaron, Jackson's a very contemporary gay character - he's not a stereotype. He is someone who exists in his own right in the world because of who he is – not what he is in terms of his sexuality. We've got to realise that for everything that Aaron's fighting, if he's ever going to let anyone in, it's going to be someone he can relate to."
I also stated from the outset that I wanted Aaron's tale to be a very modern story of someone not only wrestling with their sexuality but also loathing himself at times for it and (wrongly) fearing other people judging him. If we're to play a relationship of any sense as Aaron moves forward, I want it to be a very real one, not based on clichés or stereotypes. And as, when and if the relationship goes anywhere, it is paramount that both characters can ultimately continue to drive the story beyond that of their sexuality.

What's next for Ashley, Sally and Laurel?
"We've certainly not seen the last of Sally... her worst is yet to come. The last time we saw her, she was trashing Ashley's house but like any great story of this ilk, it has to have that final twist - that last thriller moment. Knowing Laurel is away for a night, a seemingly desperate wreck that is Sally arrives needing to repent. But once alone with Ashley, it soon becomes apparent to the audience that all is not as it seems. Ashley is all too aware of what Sally is capable of by now and his fear is palpable. But can a man with his faith really turn his back on somebody who seems prepared to be punished for everything she has done?

"What Ashley doesn't realise is that Sally is here with only one thing in mind. Desperate to prove her love to Ashley and make him see that they can be one, she slips drugs in to his drink with the intent of spending the night with him. She is truly deluded and certain of what she is doing. This isn't in any way a rational act and she longs to be in his arms and make him realise they are right for each other.

"It's extreme to the nth degree but in her twisted mind she truly believes in what she's doing. There's no malice intended at the time - she really is that disturbed that she believes love will out. Yes it's quite an eye-opener in story terms but I know that as people watch the scenes they will have no cause to find them gratuitous or salacious. It's very true to the story we have played out thus far and the act is only ever alluded to. There is nothing graphic in anything we see. As a producer of the show, I (and the soap itself) have a bond of trust with the audience which has to be respected. As such, the way in which we're telling this story is so in-keeping with Sally and everything that she and the story is about.

"Going forward, the key element of the story is from Ashley’s perspective. He's a man who's left feeling sullied and now facing the most horrible dilemma of his life - that notion of what the soul and the mind may want versus what the body does. As a Christian, Ashley only ever wanted to help Sally and in his mind, he would never ever allow something like this to happen. However, Ashley's put in a situation in which he's not capable of making such decisions himself

"We don't obviously see anything, nor would we ever want to, but Ashley's crisis of soul versus body and mind is a really telling one. We've had to be very truthful with how we've played it at every turn in order to respect what such an act can do to somebody - how it can change them, how they deal with it, how they're emotionally scarred thereafter and what it can do to a relationship."

Was this planned from the outset?
"Like any story, this has grown and changed as we have moved forward. But this last act must be all about defining what Sally wants, what she is and what she believes. So we sat back, we looked at it, we talked about it for a long time and there were many, many discussions about how we went forward and how we told such a delicate story. The decision was soon made and we set about researching and talking to help groups to ensure that it's truthful and played out very honestly. It isn't just Ashley’s story going forward, obviously, and we have to be truthful and respectful to everything that Laurel will feel as and when she finds out. Ashley’s despair and confusion is compounded by how much or little he remembers of what happened. He has moments of remembering small pieces of the jigsaw, but that only makes things worse."

Were there concerns about the religion side of things?
"We won't and wouldn't ever dream of seeing him condemned in any way, because that would be wholly wrong. He's a man of faith and he'll use his faith to get through the situation, it's as simple as that. Never before has he ever needed God as he does now. It's one of Ashley's strengths. Yes, perhaps he has flaws as a man by allowing his belief in people, particularly Sally, to let her into their lives in the first instance. But it is very hard to fault somebody for wanting to believe in people – wanting them to change… to face up to their responsibilities. At the same time, that faith will be his greatest ally as it helps him come through one of his darkest hours and he'll find great love, trust and understanding. It's not a miraculous cure and there will be a journey as he moves forward and deals with it day by day, not always making the right decisions at the right time - but then who would?"

[Perdita]

If you haven't already read my mammoth interview with Emmerdale boss Gavin Blyth, then I'd suggest hopping over to this page for an exclusive preview of what's to come in the Dales over the coming months.

However, if your boots haven't been filled enough with Emmerdale goodness, I have a further eight character teasers for your reading pleasure!

§ Jimmy and Nicola will be planning for their wedding. It's a lovely romp to the big day. It's not straightforward by any means, though - there are a few surprises in there.

§ Nicola makes something of an enemy of one of our village stalwarts. I won't reveal who, but it should be rather entertaining…

§ Diane and Victoria are on a great journey. Charlie's arrival in the village sets the cat among the pigeons and obviously Doug's already very close to Diane. It's not going to be plain sailing for them. There are a number of twists and turns for them into spring/summer.

§ There's some great material coming up for the Sharmas to take them out of their factory and see them domesticated, with friends and establishing relationships. They've firmly established their place in the show now and everyone's comfortable with who they are. This year will see them become even firmer favourites.

§ The Bartons have a very different story coming up which will, at times, ask questions of how solid the really family is. They're not Teflon and something has to stick. They'll have some really testing times and will start asking questions of themselves and of each other. John and Moira aren't beyond making mistakes…and neither are their children, who are more than capable of being lead astray by the temptations of life.

§ David and Leyla have some interesting material, too, which will put them right back at the centre of the show. They are such a string couple and real favourites. Nathan’s involvement with them last year nearly destroyed everything but they came through. Now they will be chasing a dream – but at what cost?

§ Cain and Charity continue to develop in a different way to last year. It won't be more of the same - they'll start to mix with different character groups, yet there'll be flashes of the old Charity and Cain.

§ Paddy and Marlon have a fantastic story for the year ahead. When love comes a calling… It may well involve Rhona…but who's head will be turned?

[tammyy2j]

David and Leyla have some interesting material, too, which will put them right back at the centre of the show. They are such a string couple and real favourites. Nathan’s involvement with them last year nearly destroyed everything but they came through. Now they will be chasing a dream – but at what cost?

real favourites NOT

[Perdita]

I like the two of them together but would not necessarily class them as my favourites :)

[tammyy2j]

I find Leyla very annoying

[lizann]

I'm assuming Mark's body wont be found until the end of the year

[Perdita]

Looks like it, probably when Amanda's contract comes to an end, she will have to go to jail to provide her exit storyline